Wednesday features a 11-game slate starting at 7 p.m. ET.
Let’s dive into some of the top plays on the slate using the FantasyLabs tools and metrics.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Note: Projections and Leverages Scores/Ratings may change throughout the day after this article is posted. The NBA DFS landscape changes quickly.
Consult the NBA Player Models directly for any updates as we get closer to lock.
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NBA DFS Point Guard Picks
Stud
Luka Doncic is coming off his best game of the season with a massive 36-point, 18-assist, 15-rebound triple-double against the Thunder. Doncic’s 93.25 DraftKings points last game was the second-highest total in his career. His ceiling performance was without Kyrie Irving, who is questionable for tonight’s game. In four games without Irving, Doncic is averaging a triple-double with 28.8 points, 12.5 assists, and 10.3 rebounds per game. Irving’s status is important to monitor on this large slate.
The Mavericks are nearly double-digit home favorites against the Jazz who have a pitiful 1-9 road record. They are allowing over 120 points per game on the road this season with a 123.5 defensive rating. This is an exploitable matchup for Doncic who is playing at an elite level.
He has the highest projected ceiling among all guards and looks even better if Irving can’t go.
Value
Staying in the same matchup, Jazz point guard Keyonte George will get as much usage as he can handle with Jordan Clarkson and Lauri Markkanen both out tonight. The rookie from Baylor is coming off a season-high 21 points and a 31.1% usage rate. He added six rebounds and six assists, totaling 36 DraftKings points. George has seen his salary rise on both DraftKings and FanDuel, but he has a team-high +6.62% usage rate with Clarkson and Markkanen off the floor this season.
Clarkson and Markkanen average over 40 points per game combined, so without them, there is plenty of usage rate and production to go around. George figures to take on most of that load. He has attempted 13+ field goals in four of his last five games.
The Mavericks rank 25th in defensive rating, making this a great spot to target George despite the rising price tag.
Fast Break
Tyrese Maxey has taken a major leap in his fourth year in the league, averaging a career-high in points, rebounds, and assists per game, with a 26.5% usage rate. Maxey has scored 30+ points in back-to-back games and now gets a cupcake matchup against a Wizards defense that ranks 29th in defensive rating and second in pace. In his first game against the Wizards this season, Maxey recorded a 22-point, 11-assist double-double. This is a great spot to take a well-rested Maxey.
NBA DFS Shooting Guard Picks
Stud
It has been a brutal start for the Grizzlies with a 5-14 record, but they have won two of their last three games and are two-point road favorites against the Pistons tonight. With injuries to their backcourt and Ja Morant still suspended, it has been the Desmond Bane show. He leads the team in points, assists, steals, and usage rate. His shooting percentages are down mainly due to the high-volume field goal attempts. Luckily for DFS, missed shots don’t matter. It all comes down to volume.
Bane looks exceptional on FanDuel at his $8,200 salary. He has a 95% Bargain Rating with shooting guard and small forward eligibility. Projected to play a slate-high 42 minutes, Bane is drawing nearly 30% ownership on FanDuel and 15% on DraftKings. The Pistons are a bad defensive team, which bodes well for Bane who is projected for a 29% usage rate tonight.
Value
One of the biggest pricing discrepancies on the slate is Spencer Dinwiddie, who is $6,600 on FanDuel and $7,900 on DraftKings. Another guard to prioritize on FanDuel, Dinwiddie has the highest projected Plus/Minus on the slate. Ben Simmons is still out, which will provide more ball-handling duties for Dinwiddie. In 13 games without Simmons this season, Dinwiddie is averaging 16.8 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game with a 21.6% usage rate in 33.4 minutes a night.
Dinwiddie is a staple in cash games on FanDuel, with his near 50% projected ownership. It is beneficial that this matchup against the Hawks has the highest game total on the slate at 242.5 points. The Hawks rank third in pace and have allowed 122.8 points per game. Dinwiddie, who has scored 22+ points in four of his last six games, is in a fantastic spot on FanDuel.
Fast Break
Collin Sexton is a cheaper version of Keyonte George, who is worth getting exposure to with all of the Jazz injuries. Sexton will come off the bench, where his playing time is more volatile, but that is baked into his price tag. He scored a season-high 25 points in the last game, shooting 9-for-13 from the field. Priced under $6,000 on both sites and projected to play just over 25 minutes, Sexton is a cheap way to get exposure to the Jazz offense against a weak defensive Mavericks backcourt.
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NBA DFS Small Forward Picks
Stud
Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro are both out for tonight’s game, making Jimmy Butler a strong pay-up option across the industry. With Adebayo and Herro off the floor this season, Butler has a team-high +4.6% usage rate and a 7.61 DraftKings Plus/Minus. His $8,600 salary on FanDuel is way too cheap for his projected ceiling. Despite a very difficult matchup against the Raptors and a slate-low 219.5 game total, Butler is drawing 32% projected ownership on FanDuel and 11 Pro Trends.
The Heat are three-point road underdogs, implied for only 108 points. Luckily both the salary and absence of Adebayo and Herro negates the tough matchup and low team total. Butler is averaging 22.4 points per game while shooting a career-high 39.5% from deep.
With a 30% projected usage, expect Butler to be a key factor in the Heat keeping this game competitive.
Value
Rookie first-round pick Bilal Coulibaly is starting to get more and more playing time for the Wizards, who are one of the worst teams in the league. Coulibaly is projected to play over 30 minutes in this spot, but that could be higher if Jordan Poole, who is currently questionable, is unable to play. Coulibaly is shooting 51.4% from the field and 43.5% from behind the arc, averaging just under double-digit points per game. He also ranks second on the team with 1.1 steals per game.
The Wizards are double-digit underdogs against the 76ers but still implied for 114 points. Even in a potential blowout matchup, Coulibaly will likely get the playing time needed to pay off his cheap price tag. His value is needed on DraftKings, where he has the second-highest projected Plus/Minus for small forwards. Coulibaly is also easy to fit into all lineup builds.
Fast Break
With Zach LaVine out, DeMar DeRozan will get to showcase his ceiling in a matchup against the Hornets, who rank dead last in defensive rating at 121.4. In his last game without LaVine, DeRozan recorded a double-double with 24 points and 10 assists while shooting 10-for-18 from the field. His salary barely moved from his last game, and the matchup got significantly better. Projected for 30% ownership on FanDuel and 20% on DraftKings, DeRozan is the best mid-range play on the slate.
NBA DFS Power Forward Picks
Stud
Jaren Jackson Jr. is another Grizzlies pay-up option worth targeting on tonight’s slate. He is one of the most inconsistent fantasy producers in the league, making him extremely risky for cash games. However, in tournaments, Jackson Jr. can provide an upside that can put him into the optimal lineup. His last two games are a perfect example. Last game, Jackson Jr. scored a season-high 37 points and had nine rebounds. In the previous game, he only had four points and four rebounds.
Which Jackson Jr. shows up tonight is anyone’s guess, but this is a good matchup against a young Pistons frontcourt. If he can stay out of foul trouble, Jackson Jr. can exploit the Pistons’ big men, who have allowed 52.2 points per game in the paint this season. They also allow 6.3 blocks per game, which is tied for the fourth-highest in the league.
It’s a great spot for Jackson Jr. to display his ceiling.
Value
The Wizards desperately need scoring, especially if Jordan Poole is out tonight. Enter veteran Danilo Gallinari, who is only $3,800 on DraftKings with the third-highest projected Plus/Minus at the power forward position. His floor is incredibly low, but Gallinari has averaged nine points per game in his last four games. He is coming off a season-high 21 minutes last game, scoring seven points and grabbing six rebounds. It won’t be pretty, but Gallinari can provide value on this 11-game slate.
Projected to play 21 minutes again tonight; Gallinari can help fit in the expensive studs. He is projected for around 25% ownership on DraftKings due to his cheap price tag and deserves consideration in cash games, if needed. His outlook would be much better if Poole did not suit up. The Wizards need production anywhere they can find it, and Gallinari can help.
Fast Break
Anthony Edwards is trending towards playing, but if he is out, Karl-Anthony Towns would look like an elite pay-up option. The Timberwolves have the best record in the Western Conference and are 12-point home favorites against the Spurs, who have lost 14 straight games. Despite the addition of Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs rank 27th in defensive rating and have allowed 123.9 points per game. Towns has displayed a ceiling lately and has a double-double in four of his last six games.
NBA DFS Center Picks
Stud
The toughest decision at the top of the pricing tier is Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. Due to the incredibly easy matchup against the Wizards, Embiid gets a slight advantage with the highest projected ceiling in our Tournament Model tonight. In his last game against the Wizards frontcourt, Embiid erupted for 48 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. He shot 17-for-25 from the field in 31 minutes. The Wizards have no chance of stopping arguably the most dominant big man in the league.
Embiid continues to lead the league in scoring and usage rate at 35.8%. The Wizards have allowed 58.8 points per game in the paint this season, which is the second-highest mark in the league. They also rank last in rebounding percentage at 44%. The only downside of this spot is whether or not the Wizards can keep this game close.
Embiid looks incredible in this spot.
Value
With Jerami Grant out and Deandre Ayton doubtful to play tonight, Trail Blazers rookie center Duop Reath looks like the best value play on the slate. Priced at $3,200 on DraftKings, Reath has a slate-high 60% projected ownership and will be a staple in cash games. Having center-only eligibility makes him look much better on DraftKings than on FanDuel. Reath is projected to play around 24 minutes, which is more than enough time to pay off his cheap price tag across the industry.
Reath can stretch the floor with his perimeter shooting as he has shot 7-for-13 from the field and 4-for-8 from behind the arc in his last two games, averaging 11 points per game. The Trail Blazers are a 12.5-point road underdog against the Warriors, but Reath will get playing time regardless of whether the game is close or not. His name may be unknown, but he is an elite value.
Fast Break
Nikola Jokic is much more expensive on DraftKings than Joel Embiid but more reasonably priced on FanDuel. He is a walking triple-double regardless and deserves consideration for the top spot on the slate. Jamal Murray is questionable once again, which at this point barely matters for Jokic’s outlook. In his last three games, Jokic looks like Tyrese Haliburton as he is averaging 15 assists per game.
At 5% projected ownership on both sites, Jokic is the best contrarian option tonight.
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